Well something is certainly going right for the Frenchman and ISPT ambassador.
Benyamine had bet 4,700 on the turn of a board with Frederic Casalta making the call to see the on the river. Benyamine thought for a moment and checked and Casalta checked behind him.
Benyamine showed and Casalta mucked his hands as the former began to stack up the chips. Casalta then did a double take and saw that Benyamine didn't have a diamond.
Casalta's hands quickly resided on his head in disbelief, "Oh no!" - Clearly he'd thought Benyamine had the but Casalta could only direct his frustration inward.
Benyamine quietly continued to stack the chips from the pot, he's probably feeling slightly luckier than he was before.
Lesser players than Ramey Shaio would have no doubt gone bust in the spot that he just found himself in.
Shaio led for 5,500 from the small blind on a board and was sat contemplating what to do because Toby Lewis had raised that bet to 16,400. Eventually, Shaio called and turned over for rivered boat, but was crushed by the of Lewis.
The infamous Tony G has arrived fashionably late and is ready to go to battle with his new table mates. Those mates include Jamie Burland, Mathew Frankland and APAT's Leigh Wiltshire.
It shouldn't be long before shouts of "qualified" and "heart and commitment" emanate from Wembley Stadium.
Barry Price had just called a raise in the small blind and folded to an ace high flop, wearily showing his . He was about to get involved in the next hand though.
Matt Frankland made it 2,000 UTG and was 3-bet by seat 1, Mark Gardner, to 5,000. It’s folded around to Barry who counts out the chips and pushes them over the line. Frankland quickly gets out of the way and we see a flop.
Barry checks as he had the previous hand. Gardner makes it 6,000 only to face a check raise to 16,000.
A minute goes by. Gardner asks how much Barry has left. Barry spreads the chips, in no mood to give the exact number.
“All in.” Says Gardner and Barry pushes the rest of his chips over the line to call, the player at risk.
Barry shows The hand he’s been waiting for.
Gardner has
The dealer quickly puts out the turn and the river. It takes a second or two to sink in.
Gardner makes the straight and cracks the aces. Barry is out, the dream is over.
“Seat open, thirty one.” The dealer calls and the game resumes.
Nick Wright, erstwhile poker write and all-around good egg has become the latest casualty of the day.
He'd opened to 2,000 from middle position holding with his French opponent defending in the big blind. The flop was and Wright's 3,000 continuation bet was check-raised to 8,000. Wright made the call to see the where his opponent bet 12,000. Wright moved all in for just 10,000 more and he was quickly called by the big blind's . The river changed nothing and 'Wrighty' was on his way home.
James Keys' tournament is over, unless he re-enters tomorrow afternoon.
"I had a bad one," explained Keys to one of his friends, "I had a bad one all day, really."
Our friends at Blonde Poker told us Keys moved all-in with and was called by former World Series of Poker Main Event champion Peter Eastgate and his lowly ace-three offsuit.
Eastgate was already ahead and went further so when he spiked an ace on the flop and although Keys picked up a gutshot straight draw on the turn, it failed to appear and he heads for the rail.
Well that was what we call a quick house call. Mat Frankland had opened from the button, Mark Gardner then three-bet from the small blind and Tony G moved all in from the big blind. Frankland folded but Gardner made the call.
Gardner:
Tony G:
"It's 50-50!" exclaimed Tony G.
The board however couldn't save him coming . He could be back tomorrow however.
Don't worry folks, Jamie Sykes hasn't literally been slaughtered, neither is he very drunk, but he has been eliminated. We could have just said that in the first place thinking about it, but slaughtered sounded more dramatic.
His exit was quite brutal. Sykes shipped it in with and ran into the of the man-mountain that is Johannes Toebe. Sykes received no help from the five community cards and his tournament came to an abrupt end.
board with Frederic Casalta making the call to see the 
on the river. Benyamine thought for a moment and checked and Casalta checked behind him.
and Casalta mucked his hands as the former began to stack up the chips. Casalta then did a double take and saw that Benyamine didn't have a diamond.
but Casalta could only direct his frustration inward.
board and was sat contemplating what to do because Toby Lewis had raised that bet to 16,400. Eventually, Shaio called and turned over 
for rivered boat, but was crushed by the 
of Lewis.
Barry checks as he had the previous hand. Gardner makes it 6,000 only to face a check raise to 16,000.
The hand he’s been waiting for.
with his French opponent defending in the big blind. The flop was 
and Wright's 3,000 continuation bet was check-raised to 8,000. Wright made the call to see the 
where his opponent bet 12,000. Wright moved all in for just 10,000 more and he was quickly called by the big blind's 
. The 
and was called by former World Series of Poker Main Event champion Peter Eastgate and his lowly ace-three offsuit.
